Combined clamp and connection



April 28,1925. V 1,535,342 1 1 G, W. ROSS I COMBINED CLAMP AND CONNECTION Filed Aug. 2, @923 l W4 I 7 INVIENTOR am ze 21/208 ATTORNEYS Y WITNESSES Patented Apr. 1.28, 1925.

UNITED STATES GEORGE WASHINGTON RUSS, Oi HEALDTJON, OKLAHOMA;

COMBINED CLAMP AND CONNECTION.

Application filed August 2, 192%.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Ross, a citizen of'the United bltates, and a resident of Healdton, in the county of Garter and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Combined Clamps and Connections, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined clamp and connection for the leg sections, girts, and braces of a tubular steel tower or derrick.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character whereby the leg sections of the tower or derrick may be firmly and securely clamped and fastened to each other and whereby the girts and braces may be organized with the legs and with each other in such manner as to produce a strong and rigid tower or derrick.

Another object is to provide a device of this character and having the foregoing advantages and capacities and which is at the same time extremely simple in construction and adapted to be manufactured at a comparatively slight cost from materials andby means of facilities ordinarily avail able.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in certain novel features of the construction combination and arrange ment of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the acconjipanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing a portion of the tower or derrick embodying the combined clamps and'connections constituting the present invention;

Figure 2 is a detail View in perspective showing one of the combined clamps and connections detached, a portion of a girt and portions of a pair of braces being also shown connected to one of the wings of the clamp member;

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view, showing the inner side of the clamp memher and clamping plate; and

Figure 4'. is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section, illustrating how the ends of the adjacent leg sections are .ecured together by the device constituting the present invention.

Serial No. 655,351.

Referring to the drawings,.the numeral 10 designates the leg sections of a tower and the numeral 11' designates the girts and braces.

The combined clamps and connections which constitute the present invention are designated generally at 12 and each in cludes a clamping member indicated gen erally at 13 and which is constructed of metal and comprises a curved plate like body portion 14 shaped and formed to snugly lit up against portions of the peripheries of the ends of adjacent leg sections, as shown in Figure a. 'lhecurved piate-lihe body portion 14 of each member overlaps the adjacent ends of the leg sections with which it is associated, it being sufficiently elongated for this purpose. Each body portion lei. oi: each clamp member also has an angular extent of almost onehalf of the circumference of the leg sections so to extend approximately one-half the way around the same. Divergent wings 15 are integrally formed with each curved plate like body portion. These wings 15 are continuous with the body portion 14 but they are so related to the same that in the assembly they extend tangentially from the leg sections and at right angles to each other. Each wing 15 is provided witha series of apertures 16 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

A cooperating clamping plate 1! is provided and is also shaped and formed so as to be adapted to be snugly fitted against the ends of adjacent leg sections. it is to be understood that one such plate 17 is provided for each clamping member 13, the clamping plate 1? being titted in the spaces between the divergent wings l5 and having an angular extent somewhat less than onehalf of the circumference of the leg sections. However the combined angular extent of the curved plate-like body portion 14 and the clamping plate 17 such that in the assembly two serve to practically encompass and enclose the end portions of the ad jacent leg sections 10. Bolt holes 18 and 19 are provided in the curved plate-like body portion 14; and the clamping plate 17 and in the assembly are alined with bolt holes 20 providediu the leg sections. Bolts 21 are extended through the alined bolt holes 18, 19 and 2 0, the bolts having heads 22 engaging against the clamping plates 1?. Nuts 23 are threaded on the ends thereof which project beyond the body portions 14 and engage these body portions. .lt is obvious that the iifastonin means constituted by the bolts and nuts 2i and not only serve to urge the clamping member and clamping plate into clamping engagement with the leg sections to hold the leg sections against late 'al. d splacement but also effectively prevents axial displacement of the leg sections as well axial displacement of the clamping member and clamping plate since the bolts of the fastening means traverse the leg sections. The girts and braces ll are connected to the wings by means of headed bolts and nuts the bolts being extended tlll'Ot i the openings or bolt holes 16 pro- 1 gr W +1. y r 1 .it eo iii the tings ant cniou su1 a o oo o holes prov ded thereon in the ends 01 the girts and ices and the nuts being threaded on the bolts and engaged with the girts and bra: es In this manner the wings with their openings lo allord means whereby the girts and braces are connected with the legs.

The combine clamp and connection thus provided may be readily assembled or taken down a l at the same time when assembled n'ovides tor prop r connection and organization tor parts of the tower or derrick and produces a strong and rigid tower. At the same time the combined clamp and connection is simple d durable construction adapted "for comparatively inexpensive niainittiuture. it is to be understood in this connection that the metal of which the clan'iping plate and clamping member are constituted is off suliicient resiliency to enable the parts to be properly formed and s' aied in manufacture and yet has sullistrength and rigidity to enable the maintain their form and resist disin use. The clamping member to rev wiLh the clamping plate practically e che end portions of adjacent leg so as to brace and reinforce the well as to connect these parts toto be understood that with this con- Y'on any leg section can be removed and replaced without removing any of the girts or braces. liloreover, the bolts passing through the leg ections will prevent the combined cl mp. id connections "from slipping up r down, icrebv obviating a serious and annoying di. xdvanr ge in devices of this kind heretot constructed.

'f desired l tions w ll as in the parts 1 and 17 may be made square and the shanks of the bolts be made square so that the bolts cannot relative to the 'bolt holes, whereby the nuts on the bolts is facilione bolt holes in the leg secvariation of this arrangement may con- 1r making onlw the bolt holes in the part i w a 7 3 scuare and employing carriage bolts. that is, bolts having square shoulders adjacent their heads but round shanks beyond said shoulders. in any event the portions of the shanks of the belts with Which the nuts coact will have to be made round.

If desired the bolt holes in the leg sections as well as in the parts 18 and 17 may be made oblong and the shanks of the bolts may be made oblong also, so that the bolts cannot turn relative to the bolt holes, wheretightening of the nuts on the bolts is facilitated.

l1 claim:

1. A combined clamp and connection for the leg sections, girts and braces of a tubular steel tower or derrick comprising a clamp member having a curved plate constituting the body portion of the clamp mei'nber and adapted to be snugly fitted against the periphe 'ies oi adjacent leg sections, the curved plate overlapping the ends of adjacent leg sections, divergent wings integral with the curved plate and afiording connecting means for the girts and braces, a cooperating clamping plate adapted to be titted against t 1e ends of adjacent leg sections in the space between the divergent wings, and fastening means for urging the clamping plate and clamping member into clamping engagement with said leg sections.

A combined clamp and connection for the leg sections, girts and braces of a tubular steel tower or derrick comprising a clamp member having a curved plate constituting the body portion of the clamp member and adapted to be snugly fitted a ainst the peripheries of adjacent leg sections, the curved plate overlapping the ends of adjacent leg sections, divergent wings integral with the curved plate, each 01 said divergent wings being provided with a plurality oi bolt holes to afford connecting means for the girts and braces, a cooperating clamping plate adapted to be snugly fitted against the ends of adjacent leg sections and the space between the divergent wing, the clamping plate and the clamp member being adapted to substantially encompass the end portions of adjacent leg sections, said clamping plate and said clamping member being provided with bolt holes and the end portions of the leg sections having bolt holes adapted to be alined with the bolt holes of the clamping plate and clamp member in assembly and bolts and nuts "for securing the clamping plate to the clamp member and to the leg sections, the bolts being extended through the alined bolt holes.

A combined clamp and connection for the leg sections, girts and braces of a tubular steel tower or derrick comprising a clamp member having a curved plate constituting plate overlapping the. ends of adjacent leg fastening means for urging the clamping sections, divergent Wings integral with the plate and clan'iping member into clamping curved plate and affording connecting engagement With said leg sections, said fas- 10 means for the girts and braces, a eoopei'attelling means including bolts traversing the ing clamping plate adapted to be fitted leg sections.

against the ends of adjacent leg sections in the space between the divergent Wings, and GEORGE WASHINGTON ROSS. 

